Pakistan Meat Exports: Bovine Meat’s Gulf-Driven Climb ($405M)
Meat is one of Pakistan’s steadiest export growers: bovine meat up 12% to $405M in FY26, with the Gulf as the main buyer. This guide covers the halal meat trade — and its potential.
Quick answer: Pakistan’s bovine meat exports rose 12% to $405M in FY2025–26 ($361M → $405M). July 2026: $47M (+16.2%). The Gulf states (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait) are the core market — halal-certified beef and mutton, mostly chilled/frozen.
The trade
Pakistan’s meat exports are overwhelmingly bovine (beef/buffalo) plus mutton: slaughtered in Punjab and Sindh abattoirs, chilled or frozen, shipped to the Gulf. FY26: $405M (+12%); July 2026: $47M (+16.2%); February 2026: $53.9M (+22.1%). Few export lines grow this consistently — meat has compounded through price cycles that sank rice.
The halal advantage
Pakistan’s edge is structural: a 100% halal supply chain by default, in a Muslim-majority country exporting to Muslim-majority buyers. Gulf importers trust Pakistani halal certification more readily than Brazilian or Indian supply — and pay a premium for it. The missing piece is branding: most meat ships as commodity cuts, not consumer brands.
Markets
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain — the Gulf takes the bulk. Smaller flows to Malaysia, Central Asia and China (pet-food and processed lines). Saudi Arabia’s food-security diversification — buying from more sources — favours Pakistan.
The untapped potential
Analysts routinely call meat Pakistan’s most under-exploited export: the livestock base is enormous, yet exports are $405M against a global halal meat market in the tens of billions. Constraints: foot-and-mouth disease status (blocks the EU/Japan), cold-chain gaps, and processing depth (few value-added products). Fix those and meat could be a billion-dollar line. The food-export picture: rice · export hub.
Meat exports: FAQs
How much meat does Pakistan export?
Bovine meat: $405M in FY2025–26, up 12%.
Who buys Pakistani meat?
The Gulf states — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain.
Is Pakistani meat halal-certified?
Yes — the supply chain is halal by default, a key selling point in Gulf markets.
Why can’t Pakistan export meat to the EU?
Foot-and-mouth disease status and veterinary standards block access; the Gulf remains the core market.
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